With the World Cup Qualifiers beginning today, Prince Rupert’s Tower takes a look at who are Everton’s winners and losers of the international break.
The Winners-
Ronald Koeman
Mr Koeman will be hoping that the international break will do good for his Everton players; he’ll be hoping those that haven’t been called up will feel fresh and reenergised from the break. As for those who have been called up, he’ll be keeping a close eye on them hoping a game or two away from the club side may bring their morale up so that when they return they’ll feel ready to end the clubs recent poor form after two consecutive defeats and a draw.
Tougher games are just around the corner with Everton facing Manchester City, West Ham and Chelsea within the next five games. If Koeman’s players return from the international break fresher and in better form, he will surely consider himself a winner.
Everton
The club itself will benefit from the lack of games with three players expected to return from injury after the break. Key man, Baines and central midfield pair Gibson and McCarthy are all due back which will surely give the club a bit of a lift. Baines can reclaim his left back spot with many seeing Oviedo incapable of filling it and both Gibson and McCarthy can challenge for a first team spot. Competition for spaces can only be a good thing for the club.
Quality players always love competition as it gets the best out of the respective players competing for the same spot. The players who don’t like competition for their position quite often are the weaker players and won’t benefit the club in the long run. With players competing for positions, their performances on the pitch will tell as they all begin to bring their ‘A’ game.
The Losers
In Form Players
Lukaku, Gueye and Jagielka, amongst others, are all playing well for Everton and the international break may disrupt that for them. Some players struggle to reproduce their club form for their international teams and return to their clubs worse off than they were when they left.
Koeman will be hoping his in form players all remain in form through the international break and will be praying none of these key players get injured. As mentioned earlier, key games are coming up and Koeman will need all his players in fine form in the hopes of winning points and climbing up the table.
Barkley
Ross Barkley may be Everton’s highest profile player to be left out by his national side. Gareth Southgate decided against calling up Barkley in favour of players such as Lingard, Chamberlain and even Townsend. Sometimes what a player needs to get through poor form is to play games until he is inform and since he wasn’t picked, Barkley won’t have the opportunity to do so.
While Barkely isn’t in poor form by any means, he does still need games to get through the inconsistent period of his career. Players who were inconsistent when they were young and didn’t get game time to get through it occasionally don’t recover and remain inconsistent for the rest of there career. Of course it’s not that serious for Barkley since he’s almost always a starter for Everton but it is a point to consider.
Next: Everton Internationals: Jagielka Included in England Squad
International experience would help him mature and a good game or two would help surely. With club teammates returning from injury, Koeman has a wider selection of players to pick from and who’s to say whether Barkley will definitely keep his spot? Hopefully the break will mean he comes back fresh and more determined to prove his worth to Everton, Koeman and England.